THE VEGETABLE KINGDOM. 457 



designation for nearly all the plants which present this sin- 

 gularity, as, for instance, the Pelargonium triste, the Gladi- 

 olus tristis, and the Oestrum nocturnum. 



The emanations from plants produce upon us physiolog- 

 ical effects which are well worth studying. If too concen- 

 trated, they may give rise to serious symptoms, to convul- 

 sions and spasms, or they may even induce death. 



These different phenomena have been particularly ob- 

 served in persons keeping nosegays near them during the 

 night. The flowers exhale, as we know, carbonic acid ; but 

 in the cases we speak of the accidents ought not to be 

 ascribed to lethal vapors, but to the odorous exhalations 

 from the flowers, which operate, as Orfila says, like certain 

 poisons, for they act fatally upon some individuals, and do 

 not affect others in the least. 



In 1779 a woman died in London during the night from 

 having kept a large bouquet of irises in her room. Triller 

 saw a young girl perish in the same way from the effects 

 of a bouquet of violets ; and it has been stated that work- 

 men who have imprudently fallen asleep upon bales of saf- 

 fron have died in consequence. 



The scent of roses, so much sought for everywhere, causes 

 repugnance in some persons, and inconveniences others. 

 Catherine of Medici could not endure it ; and her aver- 

 sion to these flowers was so great that it was enough for 

 her to see the painting of one to be seized with some de- 

 gree of nausea. The Chevalier de Guise was still more 

 easily affected, for he fainted at the sight of a bunch of 

 roses. 



Some cases are even told in which the smell of these 



